Water for Refugees:
The Biomimicry Challenge
Water is an issue of growing importance and increasing urgency. No one can
survive without it. Water resources in refugee camps are often scarce, distant or
contaminated. Nature’s models will be used to provoke inspired solutions to some of
these problems.
This year SMU students from various fields of study will put their ingenuity
and knowledge to work to create innovative solutions to the problem of water
distribution. On Saturday, April 6th, student teams will attend a training workshop
with experts in biomimicry, refugee situations, water purification and design
innovation.
Teams will then convene on April 7th for an intense immersion design experience to
imagine new solutions for water access in a specific refugee camp setting. During
the challenge, teams will have access to information and coaches as they create
inspired solutions. Judging by a team of experts will be April 8th, with winners
announced at a celebration event on April 10th.

What: Work in a collaborative team for 8 hours to creatively tackle the problem of
water in a refugee camp. Bring what you know – be it an anthropological analysis,
engineering, social practices, artistic imagination, biology, technology, or business
acumen.

Who: Teams must be made up of 3 to 5 students. Students should represent at
least two different majors from at least two SMU schools.

When: An intense training session will be held Saturday, April 6 from 2:00pm to

4:00pm. The team competition will be Sunday, April 7 from 11:00am to 7:00pm.
Lunch and dinner will be provided.

Prizes First place

Second place
Third place

$1000/person
$500/person
$250/person

How do I prepare?: Upon registration, each team will have access to a wide

Please visit
www.eandhweek.org
for more information,
or email Jessie Zarazaga
at jzarazaga@smu.edu

variety of reading material and links to useful websites, allowing you to come into
the competition with an edge – another reason to sign up early!

Sign-up will open March 1st and will close 5:00pm, Wed. March 27th. You can
download the entry form at www.eandhweek.org and return it to the Hunter and
Stephanie Hunt Institute for Engineering and Humanity office in Caruth Hall.
Competition is limited to 10 teams, so don’t wait to sign up your team!